Nigerians have reacted to the death of Nigerian Air Force’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, who died in a road accident at NAF Base Kaduna.
Daily Trust reported that the pilot, Arotile, died after sustaining head injuries from the accident.
- Nigeria loses first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile
- NAF: True strength in its sight, wings
The Air Force spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement Tuesday night, said until her death, Flying Officer Arotile, who was commissioned into the NAF in September 2017 as a member of Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Course 64, was the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Service.
He said during her short but impactful stay in the Service, late Arotile, who hails from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, contributed significantly to the efforts to rid the North Central States of armed bandits and other criminal elements by flying several combat missions under Operation Gama Aiki in Minna, Niger State.
Upon the break of the story, Nigerians have taken to the social media to react to the story of her death which trended on twitter under the tag “Rest in Peace”
Daily Trust gathered some of the reactions on Twitter thus;
Rest in peace Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile 💔💔💔 h/t @NigAirForce pic.twitter.com/6nAGeew9my
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) July 15, 2020
My condolences to the Inspector General of Police and the families of the seven policemen who died in a ghastly motor accident at Jaji along Kaduna Kano road on Sunday.May their souls Rest In Peace.Amin.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) July 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/Shaheedullah_1/status/1283311354099703808?s=20
I woke up to the disturbing news of Fahim Saleh’s gruesome murder in NYC (CEO, Gokada) & the unfortunate death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile (first ever female combat helicopter pilot in Nigeria) to a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.
May their souls Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/aWJMl9BEJW
— Gbemi Dennis™ (@GbemiDennis) July 15, 2020
This is such a blow. Rest in peace Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile. May her family find strength to bear this. A bright light snuffed out too soon. pic.twitter.com/ARSxhkbyHo
— Kwasededoo (@Doseofice) July 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/jacksonpbn/status/1283227153941827584?s=20
May her soul Rest In Peace! 🙏🏽 https://t.co/4yU0vKKCIj
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) July 15, 2020
Tolulope Arotile, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot
A star that did not shine for long
Rest in Peace pic.twitter.com/IG5ttDd0Zu
— Tobi Adisa (@deeduke1) July 15, 2020